Not sure if any of you deal with this dilemma like I do, but when I travel I want to relax and live completely in the moment...and yet I work, I hustle, and I try to stay on top of everything connected with the show. I tell myself I'll relax and embrace the moments when I'm without wifi, and yet on the inside I'm panicking and wondering what amazingness I'm missing online. To really prove this point...I'm writing this blog from 30,000 feet because I have learned the beauty of airplane wifi! It's becoming a bit of a problem. So here is my question for ya'll. How do we learn to live in the moments in front of us when there's a glowing screen to look at and emails that must be answered. I tell myself that I don't need to respond to each email 30 seconds after I receive it and yet I want to be accessible at all times. I have serious FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) when it comes to the internet.

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I tell myself that it's my job to be connected and constantly present online; and it is to a certain point. I try to embrace apps like Hootsuite that schedule social media posts and yet I'm constantly refreshing the page to see what other people are up to to.

When it comes to the outdoors I'm a little bit better. I can truly appreciate going for an all day hike and catching up on what I've missed at night but by day 3 of an all out camping, mountains, no wifi kind of trip I'm feeling that panicky feeling that I may have missed the most important email of my life (I never do, I usually log back on to be disappointed with 5,000 spam emails).

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On my recent trip to visit my in-laws I promised myself airplane mode every day and no social media...and yet the second anyone else pulled their phones out I joined in on the screen gazing. And by the end of the trip I had a sense of guilt for not responding to emails for 5 days. I gave myself a break one day to call my mom and 2 1/2 hours of chatting later and some bad time-zone skills and I'd missed my OWN Twitter Chat! I felt horrible and guilty for having taken a break.

So how do we balance it all! How in a world of immediate responses and permeant connectedness do we stop and breathe and live in the moment without the inner panic! So while I can truly appreciate the opportunities to stay online all the time (in-air wifi, mobile hotspots, roaming, even international apps) sometimes I wonder, when is it truly time to unplug?

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How do you do it? Leave me a comment below. I'd love to hear your thoughts on this dilemma.

I had the opportunity to visit Billings Montana to see what kinds of things this city had to offer when the travel world takes over in September.

Billings, Montana blew me away with their food scene. Between classic western diners, to modern martini bars, to the only walkable beer trail in the state, there was so much happening here it needed a separate blog! Here are just a few of the incredible places to stop when you visit Billings.

I wasn’t quite sure what to expect when I visited Billings Montana. I guess I thought it would be completely flat and maybe have good burgers. Man, was I wrong! I mean not about the burgers…but we’ll get to that.

I love any opportunity to get to travel and adventure with my dog Millie, but it’s definitely not always easy. From restaurants, to adventures, to hotels, it’s a LOT to coordinate and figure out where to go.

Lunchtime at Old Fisherman’s Wharf in Monterey can feel like a busy Saturday flea market with shops and restaurants clamoring for your attention and business. There’s one restaurant that isn’t begging for business and shying customers away with their cat calling (chowder calling?)

Suddenly I started getting flooded with negative comments on one video in particular, and it boosted my subscribers, views, and overall engagement! Who knew haters could be so good for business?!?

The realization that I can work from anywhere, combined with filming a travel show around the country has given me new perspective when I go to new cities. Every time I travel it is now with the mindset of “Could I live here?”

Canada ranks very high on the list of the best countries for adventurous travellers. Whether you love skiing, cycling, hiking, or watching wildlife, the country has something for you. Here are five of the best places in Canada for adventurous travellers:

When we arrived, there was one other person who had signed up for a wet-suit who changed her mind so out of hundreds of people snorkeling for the day it was just Kristin and I braving the cold. We were told it was the choice between driving a school bus and driving a Ferrari, of course we chose the Ferrari!!!

There are SO many hiking trails around Southern California that this list could be endless! And I have only explored a small section in my eight years living in Los Angeles. Going off of the many places I’ve had the pleasure of hiking, here are my top 10 favorite hikes around Southern (and a couple in Central) California!

when I was invited to try my hand at skiing again last year at Mountain High Ski Resort I was excited but cautiously nervous as well. As soon as I got there, I realized this would be a TOTALLY different experience.

One of the big reasons that I started Monica Goes was because I saw so many amazing blogs and vlogs of experts going on epic adventures but I kept thinking “What about the rest of us? What about the people like me who loved the outdoors but had NO clue where to start or what I needed? The ones who are scared of the unknown and intimidated by the adrenaline junkies but want to give it a go?”

No matter where you want to travel, renting and traveling with an RV can be a great and memorable experience. Whether you decide that you want to vacation overseas or somewhere in the country, there are ways to rent and travel by RV anywhere you want to go.